U.S. President Joe Biden pledged during a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Monday that his commitment to Israel is steadfast and he looks forward to meeting soon with new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. In his first meeting with a high-ranking Israeli official since taking office, Biden stated that Iran will not acquire a nuclear weapon while he is in power.
At the start of their meeting at the White House, Biden told Rivlin, "My commitment to Israel is…solid," adding that they would discuss various issues, including Iran. He continued, "I can tell you that Iran will never get a nuclear weapon while I'm in office."
Biden also reaffirmed his support for Israeli agreements to normalize relations with Arab countries, adding that Israel is also making progress with Africa. The meeting took place just weeks after Bennett took office as the new Prime Minister of Israel, succeeding Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. officials are working to arrange a meeting between Biden and Bennett in the coming weeks.
This discussion comes amid concerns in Israel and Arab capitals about the United States' efforts to return to the Iranian nuclear agreement, fearing that such a deal could ultimately allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, making them vulnerable to Iranian intimidation or military threats.
U.S. efforts to revive the nuclear agreement, from which former President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018, are progressing slowly as Tehran insists that the U.S. lift all sanctions imposed on it.
Before the meeting, an informed source indicated that Biden is expected to inform the Israeli president that the United States and Israel share the same goal: preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons. The source added that Biden would emphasize U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
Sources also anticipated that the discussion would touch upon the war Israel waged for 11 days with Gaza. The United States had pledged to upgrade Israel's missile defense system known as Iron Dome, which was used extensively during the Gaza war.
Reuven Rivlin is set to leave office on July 7 after serving seven years, and he will be succeeded by Isaac Herzog, the head of the Jewish Agency.
